When Donald and Crystal Howard were killed in a car crash last Saturday while driving to pick up more face paint for their children, Georgia State Trooper Nathan Bradley was given the morbid task of informing the family. However, when he arrived at their home and found four children between the ages of 6 and 13 dressed in costumes, he didn’t have the heart to ruin their Halloween and decided to wait one more day to break the tragic news.

“I wanted to preserve these kids’ Halloween and the ones to come,” Bradley said. “We hoped that they would then relate the tragedy to November 1st, rather than Halloween.”

He took the children to get burgers, fries and milkshakes before giving them a tour of the troopers’ post. Other people who had heard what happened brought over candy, toys and Disney movies to watch.

At the end of the day, he let the children have a sleepover at the station as they waited for their grandmother, who was making a seven-hour drive to get them.

“You turned an F-Minus day into an A-Plus night,” one of the children told him as he put them to bed.

Bradley also set up a GoFundMe page for the children in order to help cover the $7,000 cost of their parents’ funeral. However, that modest goal has been wildly exceeded, with nearly $300,000 pouring in thus far.

“I’m am astonished by the support of this family,” Bradley wrote on the page. “You all are responsible for this success. The family wants to thank each and every one of you.”